The Finest Struggle
by Milady Luxanna
Summary: For Vi, punching something or someone is enough to make her happy. For Caitlyn, work is always above everything else. When they finally come in terms with their feelings, things are not as easy as they thought. And when Jinx decides to make an appearance, it will all just spin into a total disaster.
1. Irreplaceable

This story is a side project I will be working on along with 'My Heart Your Light'. So far I only wrote this two chapters and I will be adding more once in a while. I already have the entire story planned out. Also Jinx will be featured!

Hope you guys like it.

A huge thank you to my friend Saks for cleaning up my lousy grammar. x3 Luv you girl.

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"Come on Caitlyn…", he almost begged this time. "I promise you won't regret it. It's just dinner." Jayce said flashing a very cocky smile he knew she wouldn't be able to resist. Or so he thought. The object of his affection was currently busy digging into a pile of paperwork, a 'present' that had been delivered to her early after Vi smashed through the city museum to catch… imagine… a baseball.

"I do appreciate the offer Jayce but as you can see…" She grabbed a handful of papers and gesture to the other pile she needed to go through. "I am very busy at the moment. And by the looks of it, I may be for a while."

"I see…" He tried to sound as indifferent as possible but there was surely a hint of disappointment in his voice. He had dated pretty much the entire female population of Piltover yet the one he craved the most kept pushing him away. But he wouldn't lay his arms down, much to her dismay. "What are those about anyways? Whatever it is, I bet it can wait after dinner."

The sheriff looked at him from the top of the paper she was currently reading. 'Why can't he just take a no as an answer… It's been like this for months now; he should have got the message by now.' She mused to herself. "Vi smashed through the side wall of the museum. The entire thing collapsed; she even managed to knock down several artifacts and paintings that were exposed on the other side of the room. Fortunately nothing valuable was lost."

"Tsk, another display of her lack of manners. She's nothing but a brute." He crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. "Last week was the Town Hall and on the week before the Research and Development center. "

"Look, it was an accident Jayce. Accidents happen-"

"No Cait, with her is never an accident. She plain ignores all your orders to stay back, do this, do that… She just smashes whatever is in her way, no matter the consequences. She is a nuisance."

"Don't call her that." Caitlyn let go of the papers she was going through, offering the man a glare. "She is a valuable asset to the police force. Yes, I admit. Her methods are not the best but… we always manage to catch the bad guys. That's all that matters."

"Oh really? What about your post as the Sheriff being on the line over her actions?" Her eyes widen at his words; he just continued. "Yes I heard what the Mayor said to you after the whole incident last week. His exact words were 'You better get your partner under control or you both shall be dismissed'. Are you really willing to risk everything over her? She's just a pitiful thief you happen to pick up from the streets."

"Jayce please leave. Now." The woman was now standing up from her seat, completely annoyed by his words.

"Seriously Cait, what's so special about her? Her strength? There are officers under you that could very well take her spot and do way better. Get rid of her before it's too late."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" The sheriff slammed her fists hard in the desk out of frustration, the papers flying off and landing on the floor. "Vi is my partner, my friend. At this point she is irreplaceable. My career is important to me, I won't deny it… But without her it wouldn't make sense anymore." Her features softened. "If someone was to ask me to chose between my work and her friendship, I would not even blink."

Her sudden mood change did not pass unnoticed by the defender. "The Caitlyn I used to know would never say such thing. Her work used to be her priority… always. You became weak." He spat. "But seriously why would you go so far over a friendship like that? Do you have a crush on her or something? Cause that would be just-"

"Get out!"

He didn't even have time to blink as the barrel of the sheriff's loyal riffle was pointed straight at his head. He surely had hit a nerve there and as much as his curiosity would tell him to just pry and dig deep into the subject, the dangerous eyes behind the gun made him realize the best thing to do would be slowly back away. At least for now.

"Alright, alright… I apologize." He lifted his hands up in surrender. "I will be taking my leave now."

As the man slowly made his way out the office, the woman did not dare to lower her weapon until he was gone. As the door closed behind Jayce, Caitlyn let herself fall in the chair, a groan escaping from her lips. As her mind began to race about the previous conversation, she failed to notice that a certain pink haired woman had heard the entire thing from the outside, a shocked expression tainting her features.


	2. Questions

It was already past 1 a.m. when Caitlyn managed to finish filling all the reports for the day. The discussion with Jayce earlier had made her uneasy; as much as she would love to say his words felt into deaf ears, truth be told it made her thoughts race more than ever. And to make things even worse, Vi had been gone all day.

The chill of the night caught her off guard as she stepped outside the police station. As she rubbed her arms in a poor attempt to generate some warmth, Cait noticed the moon was slowly getting covered by heavy clouds. 'Great… And I forgot my coat and umbrella.' The sheriff sighed and made her way towards her flat, rushed steps sounding so heavy in the now completely deserted streets of the City of Progress. Her thoughts were once again occupied by a certain pink haired woman as Caitlyn began to wonder if she should pay her a visit to be sure everything was okay.

Just when she was getting ready to cross yet another street, heavy raindrops began to pour down, the sound of thunder filling the air. She ran as fast as she could, her building finally coming into view. Caitlyn pushed the heavy front door wide open and she leaned against the nearby wall, completely soaked and breathless. By the time she finally managed to catch her breath, she found herself trembling with cold. 'This is bad. I'm going to get sick', she thought as she began to climb up the stairs to the 4th floor.

What she found by her door was enough to make her stop dead at her tracks. Vi was sitting on the floor, fast asleep by the looks of it. She was snoring loudly, rivaling the sound of the thunder outside. And to complete the already awkward picture… she seemed to be drooling all over her left glove. The sheriff had to contain herself not to laugh; Vi sure had her cute moments. As she pulled her keys and gave a closer step to her door, the pink haired woman suddenly woke up, fists up and ready to strike.

"Who goes there?!" Vi suddenly shouted, eyes still heavy with sleep.

The sheriff just raised her hands and muffled a giggle. "It's just me Vi… Am I not allowed in my own place now?"

The pink haired woman just rubbed her eyes with her massive gauntlets and let out a loud yawn, before focusing her gaze on the woman in front of her. "You're soaking wet." She concluded.

"I'm aware of that… It's pouring outside, I had no idea it was supposed to rain." Caitlyn stated as she reached to unlock her door. "What are you doing sleeping at my door anyways? It's pretty late."

"I was hoping I could have a word with you. I just didn't expect you leaving the police station so late." The enforced struggled to get up, dusting herself off in the process.

"Neither was I." She confessed as she walked inside, Vi following shortly after and closing the door behind herself. "But all the paperwork from your little 'accident' at the museum earlier sure took some time."

"I'm sorry." Vi muttered.

Caitlyn turned around to face the pink haired woman, an eyebrow raised in both surprise and confusion. "Wait… did you just apologize…?"

"Guess I did." Came the honest reply.

"You never apologize for anything like that Vi. What's the matter?" The sheriff took a step towards the woman but she raised a gauntlet before she could come any closer.

"Just jump in the shower before you get sick. We can talk afterward. I'll wait." She walked past the sheriff and sat down on the couch, arms stretched along the back of the seat.

Caitlyn was about to turn around and say something but Vi had completely refused to look at her in the eye by now. Her gaze was somewhat lost at the nearby window, her expression completely neutral and unreadable. Sighing in defeat, the brunette made her way to her bedroom, grabbed her night clothes and finally entered the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, the sheriff finally stepped back in the living room wearing a plain white t-shirt and gray shorts. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail and by the drops dripping down from it, it seemed like she had cut short the drying process. Her gaze immediately fell on the enforcer, who seemed far too busy staring at the ceiling to even notice her presence. Caitlyn sat down on the armchair across from the other woman and patiently waited for the pink haired to notice her. When that didn't happen, she gently called her name.

"Oh sorry. Didn't notice you were done already." Vi spoke, her gaze now on the brunette.

"It's okay." Came the quiet reply as the sheriff crossed her legs, hands neatly folded on her lap. "We can talk now."

"Mmhmm."

Only silence followed.

As the enforcer seemed to be struggling with words, exhaustion had finally caught up with Cait. A quick glance at the heavy clock informed her it was past 3 am already: she would have to be up in less than about four hours to work. Irritation took hold of her features as minutes passed and still not a word from Vi, who was by now also refusing to meet the sheriff's gaze, preferring to look at the floor underneath her feet instead.

"Listen Vi..." Caitlyn sighed, "Its late and I'm really tired so if you could just spill it out at once-"

"I heard your conversation with Jayce." The enforcer finally said, her gaze meeting Cait's. "All of it."

"Vi..."

"Look cupcake... I don't wanna be a burden to you. You offered me a chance to make things right and I'm really thankful for that but... I don't want you to lose your job because of me. Its not right."

"I'm not going to lose my job because of you Vi. I admit that your methods and your lack of reliability to follow orders puts our mission at risk most of the time... but in the end we always manage to catch the bad guys. That's all that matters." The sheriff offered a comforting smile.

"My ways are bound to get you in trouble Cait. Its like Jayce said, I'm nothing but a nuisance." Vi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm resigning from my post as a law enforcer."

"What...? You can't be serious! I won't allow you to just throw everything you built in the past months over some nonsense Jayce said."

"Caitlyn, please don't make this even more difficult than it already is. Just accept my resignation so we can both move on."

"No, I will never accept it."

The enforcer just let out a loud sigh and rubbed her face with both gauntlets in frustration. She then got up and started walking towards the door, but came to a stop next to the armchair currently being occupied by the sheriff.

"I'll present my resignation directly to the mayor first thing in the morning then. I'm sorry things have to end this way Cait." A pause. "But thank you for everything."

Before Vi could even register what happened, Caitlyn's arms had found their way around her waist as the sheriff embraced the enforcer awkwardly from behind, her chin resting on her left shoulder.

"What are you-"

"Please don't leave me Vi... You're all I have." A sob. Followed by another and another.

_'Is she … crying? Was Jayce right after all...? Does she...'_

"You're so silly cupcake..." Vi said softly as she turned around to face the sheriff, embracing her gently. "What am I going to do with you uh?"

Caitlyn buried her face on the enforcer's neck and said nothing. As her sobs became less constant and her breath became less erratic, Vi's thoughts kept drifting in and out from Jayce's words. She wondered, for just a moment, how things would be like if the woman in her arms actually felt something for her. The enforcer had to admit, aside from all the awkwardness of the moment, deep inside she was enjoying having the sheriff so close. And as much as she would love to push those growing unwanted feelings away, the chills from the soft fingers currently drawing patterns on her lower back cut her intentions short.

Finally making up her mind, she dared to ask.

"Hey cupcake... Do you love me?"


	3. Rain

I apologize for the short chapter but I thought it would be better to let this part stand alone. I promise smiles for the next one, no worries!

Also Crossoverlines on deviantART made a fanart of the last chapter. Link in my profile.

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Vi's sudden question caught Caitlyn completely off guard. Sure she had already asked herself the same earlier after the argument with Jayce; her conclusion being she did love Vi but as a friend. But now... Now she was sure there was something _more_. She didn't know if it was just the proximity or the fact that she could hear Vi's heart beating as fast as her own; but fact is, there was a warm fuzzy feeling spreading inside her, giving her the famous butterflies in her stomach she had heard about. She gathered all her resolve and finally opened her eyes, her gaze meeting the enforcer's.

"Vi... I..."

"I'm sorry. That was such a silly question, wasn't it? Of course you love me, otherwise you wouldn't put up with all the mess I cause everyday!" Vi cut her off, laughing nervously. "You're such a good friend cupcake."

She awkwardly broke the embrace and patted Caitlyn gently on the head with one of her massive gauntlets. The sheriff raised an eyebrow in confusion and frowned as she was patted like a puppy by the pink haired woman, who kept laughing nervously while scratching the back of her head with her other hand. The brunette had no idea why Vi would suddenly back off after asking such question, but she sure intended to know. However when she opened her mouth to say something, Vi cut her off again.

"Oh look at the time, I should probably get going." The enforcer spoke awkwardly while eying the clock. "I'll see you uh... later I guess. Goodnight Cait."

She turned on her heel to leave but a sudden and particularly loud crack of thunder, followed by the sound of heavy rain, cut her intentions short. _'Just great...Stupid weather', _she thought to herself. She _really_ wished she could avoid yet another confrontation; knowing Caitlyn like she did, the sheriff wouldn't rest until Vi revealed her true intentions concerning that problematic question.

But if Cait dared to ask, she would tell her the truth. Even tho she feared the inevitable rejection which would most likely lead to awkward situations and shatter her heart to pieces. _'I'm not a 'wuss'. I'll be just fine... I guess.'_

"You can stay here for the night. The couch isn't very large or comfortable but... Its the best I can offer." The sheriff spoke quietly. "I will grab you some blankets and a pillow."

Vi could swear there was a hint of sadness on Caitlyn's words... Or maybe it was just exhaustion. Either way, when she turned around to face her, the brunette was already gone. She did come back a few seconds later with the promised blankets and the pillow; the objects being gently dropped on the couch.

"Thank you cupcake." Vi half smiled. "And I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Hm. Goodnight Vi."

"Goodnight."

The enforcer watched with regret as the sheriff turned her back on her and left to her own room. Taking a deep breath, Vi slipped her gauntlets off and unfolded the blankets, making her bed for the night. After being happy enough with the result, she turned the lights off and sat down, rubbing her face with both hands in frustration. During the brief exchange of words, Caitlyn's gaze had been glued to the floor the entire time, making Vi wonder if the sheriff was somewhat hurt. She had seen the resolve in her eyes when their gazes met, like she was about to spill her heart out. And somehow she had been stupid enough to back off at the last second.

As she kept replaying the same scene over and over in her head, what seemed like a muffled sob brought her back to reality. She quickly got up and took a few steps towards Caitlyn's bedroom, stopping only a few inches away from the door. The sobs soon became mixed with sound of thunder and rain as Vi just stood there, motionless.

She thought about just opening the door, walking to her and embracing her, tell her everything that was going through her mind... But she couldn't bring herself to. Jayce's words still lingered, haunting her every thought.

_'A nuisance. A complete brute.' _She whispered to herself as her right hand slowly touched the door in front of her. _'I'm so sorry cupcake... you deserve so much better...'_

And then there was nothing but tears and rain.


	4. Advise

Okay, here's a lighter chapter like I promised. And no, I won't be dragging the inevitable more. Just wait for the next one!

Again a huge shout out for my beta reader, what would I do without you guuurl ^^

Enjoy!

EDIT: Link in my profile to a little comic Crossoverlines at DeviantArt drew of that little talk at the end of this chapter. Go check it out!

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Vi woke up to the smell of tea and fresh baked cookies. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the sharp pain in the back of her neck from sleeping on the couch. As she got up and massaged her sore muscles, she stole a glance at the window, the first rays of sun slowly illuminating the city. It was still early, she concluded.

Caitlyn was already seated at the table, fully dressed. When Vi slowly took a seat across from her, she pushed a mug in her direction and served some warm coffee to the enforcer. The pink haired woman seemed surprised with the gesture since between the two, only she liked that beverage. And after everything that happened the night before, seeing the sheriff being kind enough to make something special for her, only made Vi feel worse.

The silence from the breakfast followed them on their way to the police station. As the streets of Piltover slowly started to wake from its slumber, the first citizens would turn from their duties to wave and wish a good day to their dear sheriff. Caitlyn didn't seem too fazed by their gesture for the first time in years, choosing to just reply with a half smile and a small nod. Many noticed the change of behavior and Vi received the first glares of the day. _'Well... there we go. If she smiles, they glare; if she doesn't, they glare anyways. They really don't like me...Oh who cares.', _the enforcer thought to herself, returning the glares and watching in amusement as everyone would recoil and go back to their businesses. On a normal day, Caitlyn would scold her. But not today.

When they finally reached the station, they were informed by the receptionist that they had a visit. Ezreal was seated at the bench near Cait's office, deep in thought and fiddling with his fingers; but he did noticed the two women when they approached him.

"Morning Caitlyn, Vi." He spoke politely as he got up from his seat. "I hope I'm not bothering you, I know you two have very busy schedules... Specially you Cait but... I kinda need some help with something."

"Help? Are you in some sort of trouble Ez?" The sheriff asked, concern tainting her features.

"Oh no, no. At least not this time, ahah." He nervously started to scratch the back of his head. "Its something uh... personal. I was hoping we could talk in private." He eyed Vi for a moment, who seemed to be not even slightly bothered with the entire thing. "If that's okay with you Vi, of course."

"Be my guest." Came the reply as the enforcer sat down at the bench the explorer was occupying earlier, arms stubbornly crossed above her chest.

"Let's talk in my office then." Caitlyn unlocked the door and gestured for Ezreal to walk inside; she followed his trail and closed the door behind herself, but not before stealing a glance at the enforcer.

Vi was left outside wondering what the explorer had to discuss with Cait that was personal enough for her not to hear. _'Is he here to ask her out? Oh hell no. I'll punch him so hard his hair will turn black.' _Just the small contemplation made the enforcer burn inside with jealousy; so after making sure no one was at the hallway, Vi slowly moved closer the door and attempted to hear the entire conversation.

"So what sort of help do you need Ez?" The sheriff asked while she opened and closed several cabinets, in the process of gathering what she needed to prepare some tea for both. "I recall last time we had a private conversation you asked for my help to deal with some certain not-so-nice scientists from Zaun. Did you make them mad again?"

"Oh no, I learned my lesson after that one. The subject this time is something more uh... personal." He spoke nervously, eyeing the desk in front of him.

"I'm all ears."

"Well... uh... do you... Do you know Luxanna Crownguard?"

"Yes I know Lux." Came the reply as the sheriff looked over the explorer. "What about her?"

"We sorta became close since that match... you know, the one where you and me had to swap places and she was my support. After that she started to look for me between matches and even offered her help in any future explorations. We have been spending quite a few time together lately."

"Sarah told me something like that a few days ago, if I recall correctly... I think there's a rumor going on that you two are a couple." Caitlyn filled the two teacups and offered one to the explorer, placing the other one neatly on her desk. She then took a seat and eyed the boy, amused at how red his cheeks were turning.

"Of course, Miss Fortune... No surprise there." He took a small sip from his tea before proceeding. "Well we are not a couple... At least not yet. She keeps giving me hints but... I just can't bring myself to ask her out."

"Why not? If she gives you hints, it most likely means she is interested."

"I don't know how to ask a girl out... I mean, what am I suppose to say or do? I wanted it to be special... You gotta help me Cait!"

The sheriff almost choked on her tea. "Wait, what?! How am I supposed to help you on that Ezreal? You do realize who you're talking to, right...?"

"Yes I do... I'm talking to the famous Caitlyn, the proud sheriff of Piltover. Also known as the most beautiful and still forever single woman in the entire city-state."

"Ouch. A simple 'single woman' would be enough for the case." She flinched at his mocking words, choosing to eye the tea in front of her for the time being.

"You're single because you want to. I know a certain person who is very very interested in you." Ezreal stated, a grin plastered on his face.

"You know I would never date someone like Jayce. He's nothing but a womanizer."

"I'm not talking about Jayce."

The sheriff rubbed her face in frustration and sighed. "Look Ez, if you came here to talk about my personal life, the door is right there. I'm really really not in the mood for that."

"Okay, okay... I'm sorry. But hey, did something happened...? You seemed more touchy than usual."

"Ezreal..."

"Okay okay." He lifted in hands in surrender. "Sorry I asked."

"Now concerning your little issue... I would say just go with the classic. Buy her some roses and take her out to dinner... after the desert you can just confess."

"Just like that? Come on Cait... You're a girl, how would you like to be asked out?"

"I have no idea... Never gave it much of a thought, to be honest. Maybe a romantic dinner in one of our best restaurants, followed by a nice walk by the riverside... If there were some flowers and chocolates I think I would melt." The sheriff allowed herself to daydream for a few seconds, but quickly dismissed the thoughts and blushed when she realized what she had said out loud.

"Sounds like you actually put a lot of thought in it, ahah." He teased for a few moments before smiling warmly at her. "But hey, thank you for the advise. I'll give it a shot."

"Anytime, I guess. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance."

"No no, it was good enough, trust me." He got up from his seat. "Thank you for your time and for the tea. I'll let you know if it worked out for me."

"Mmhmm, I'll be waiting."

The explorer waved goodbye and made his way towards the door as a evil grin started to spread across the sheriff's lips. _'Two can play the same game.' _

"Hey Ez!"

"Hm?" He stopped only inches away from the door and turned around to face Caitlyn once again.

"Good luck with Lux. But remember, if everything goes as planned and she says yes, I would advise you to drastically reduce the number of bushes you facecheck." The sheriff covered her mouth with her hand, trying and failing to contain her laugh; the look on his face was too priceless at this point.

"Ah ah, very funny miss sheriff. Did Vi teach you that one?"

Ezreal immediately noticed the mood change as soon as he brought up the enforcer's name. It was really no secret to anyone that there was _'something' _going on between Cait and Vi. He had been one of the first persons to ever notice the sudden change of behavior from the sheriff, who went from an uptight and way-too-serious law enforcer with no sense of humor to a friendly and kind-hearted woman. But he knew her pride was getting in the way, not to mention that a relationship between the two women, especially one of them being a former criminal, would forever taint her credibility and respect as a sheriff. He could understand that... But was her happiness worth to be put away over such petty reason?

"You should tell her. Screw what everyone else thinks."

And then he was gone.


	5. Confessions I

This one I thought it would be better to just split in two chapters or it would end up being way too long. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Again, huuuuge thank you to my beta reader. This one was specially a pain to clean up... Sowy gurl!

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Vi couldn't believe her ears. All those memories from the night before hit her like a ton of bricks and she simply couldn't help it but feel guilty. _'If only I had let her talk... I made her cry twice for nothing. I'm so damn stupid.' _Deep in thought, she failed to notice that Ezreal had opened the door and ended up falling flat on the floor at his feet.

"Ow, that hurt...", the pink haired woman stated, rubbing the side of her head that had hit the wooden floor.

"Serves you right, ahah. No one ever told you that is rude to eavesdrop private conversations?" The explorer said, trying to sound as serious as possible; however his facial expression betrayed his intentions.

"I wasn't." Vi got up and dusted herself off, rubbing her head again. "I happened to be leaning against the door.. that's all.

"In a crouching position...? I've heard better excuses." He stated flatly, arms crossed above his chest in defiance. "You're such a peeping Tom, Vi..."

"You better take that back kiddo." The enforcer barked, clearly annoyed.

"Nope."

"You better or I'll make you!"

"I dare you to even try, ahah."

"You little f-"

"Enough!" Caitlyn yelled as she slammed her fists hard against her desk. "If you two want to kill eachother, do it outside! I'm sick and tired of this!"

"Oh wow Cait, I was just messing with her..." Ezreal raised his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No no, I'm the one who should apologize..." The sheriff sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm just... tired, that's all." She got up from her seat and turned around to face the window. "But thank you for our little chat Ez, I wish you good luck once again. And Vi..." she trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"We will talk later. I need to be alone for a little while."

"No way I'm going to leave you alone like that cupcake. I'll stay."

"Please... Just leave." The sheriff pleaded, her voice breaking with every word.

With a defeated sigh, Vi turned on her heels and exited the room, followed shortly by Ezreal. As the explorer closed the door behind himself, his gaze followed the pink haired woman as she let herself fall on the bench, her massive gauntlets covering her face. A small period of silence fell between the two of them as the blond decided to wait for the enforcer to say anything; when he realized that wasn't going to happen, he was the one who broke the silence.

"She's a mess, Vi." He started as he sat down next to the enforcer. "I've never seen Cait like this before in all these years."

"Yeah... And its all my fault kiddo." Vi sighed again, resting against the back of the bench and closing her eyes. "I'm such an idiot."

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"... Do I have to...?"

"Well, it would help. I can't really tell you how to fix your mess if I don't know what caused it in the first place."

"What does a kid like you know?" She snorted. "You can't even ask the blondie out."

"Very funny..." He grimaced at her words. "Look, in normal circumstances I wouldn't care about the mess you make. But Caitlyn happens to be one of my best friends so I'm not just going to stand back and watch while you break her like she's one of those walls you like to punch down so much."

"Now you're just going too far kiddo, you sound like I'm doing this on purpose. Plus you don't know s-"

"I know you love her." As the enforcer turned her head in his direction, eyes wide open in surprise, he continued. "She loves you too Vi, but her pride is getting in her way. And since she feels like she can't really come out and say it out loud, she chooses to hold everything inside. Its killing her."

"... Yesterday I... heard a conversation between her and Jayce, he was trying to make her go out with him again. That guy never gives up, ahah..." she paused, half smiling at the thought. "For some reason he decided to blame me since the excuse she gave was the paperwork from my little 'accident' at the museum. He called me a nuisance... Little cupcake got really mad and defended me. That was when he brought up something about her having a crush on me."

"Did she admit it?"

"No, I think she pointed her riffle at his head or something, ahah. He left shortly with no answer and I started to wonder if it was true... so I left the station and walked around the streets for hours thinking. I mean, the signs were there. And honestly as much as I hate to admit it, she was the only person who ever accepted me for who I am. She took me from the streets, gave me a job, a home... I owe her everything I have. Including my league induction. She was so happy about that..." She trailed off, her features filled with sadness. "I went to her apartment a few hours later after making up my mind. I was going to tell her how I felt, no matter what her answer would be. But I blocked."

Vi paused and did the best she could to hold back the tears that were stubbornly trying to fall. Rubbing her eyes, she took a deep breath to steady her emotions. She was not going to allow herself to just break down, especially in front of someone she considered 'nothing but a kid'. Ezreal didn't say a word during the time it took for the enforcer to continue; he knew how hard it was for the pink haired woman to just open up as Caitlyn had mentioned in previous conversations. So he waited.

"I told her I was going to quit my job. I didn't wanted to be a burden to her... She wouldn't accept it. That she made crystal clear. And... when I turned to leave she stopped me... And told me I couldn't leave because I am everything she has... I panicked when she started to cry so I held her in my arms. It felt... strangely good, I just... I can't really describe it in words." She smiled at the thought. "That was when I asked her if she loved me."

"And? What did she say?"

"I didn't let her say it! I... I feared a rejection so I changed the subject... Was pathetic... Me talking like a moron, patting her on the head like she was a puppy. She hasn't really looked me in the eye ever since and... I heard her cry last night... I wanted to comfort her so badly, tell her how I feel but... I just couldn't!"

Vi punched the bench they were both on out of frustration and Ezreal jolted up and slightly backing away after that. He couldn't deny it: after hearing what happened, the explorer couldn't really believe how stupid the woman in front of him could be; but then he reminded himself he really was in no position to judge. _'Lux gives me signs all the time and yet I can't really just come out and just tell her how I feel. Its hard to deal with emotions...Plus...Vi has her reasons like Cait does.' _

"Vi...", he took a deep breath. "Look, I understand why you fell like you're a burden to her and that you probably think she would be better off without you. But you have to remind yourself that she loves you regardless; so screw what Jayce or everyone else thinks. You two deserve to give it a shot. If it will work out or not, no one knows; but at least you won't regret that you didn't even try."

"You really think so, don't you?" She sighed, her gaze glued to the floor beneath her. "I just wish I knew what to do..."

"Please, you know exactly what to do!" The explorer snorted. "You think I bought your little excuse? I know you heard the entire conversation."

"What if I did?" Vi crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes finally meeting his gaze. "I don't see what your little love trouble has to do with me and Cait."

"She described exactly what her dream date would be like. Make it come true."

"Seriously, a fancy dinner followed by a midnight walk by the riverside... Flowers and chocolates... You gotta be kidding me. That's so... mushy." The enforcer made a face of disgust. "Next thing you're telling me I have to watch the movie _'Titanic' _with her... If I ever have to sit through that junk I swear I would jump into the movie and make the stupid boat go down myself."

"Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the ones we love, Vi. Can you just imagine how happy she would be after all that? You should have seen the look on her face when she was describing it! Plus it would set the perfect mood for you to just come out and tell her how you feel."

"... You really think so?" She raised an eyebrow at him and then started to blush. "But hey, isn't it customary for people to... uh... Kiss at the end of a date? Like, no way I'm going to do that!"

"Vi..." He groaned in frustration. "Look, this entire date thing is just to try and set a mood for you two to finally tell eachother how you really feel. What happens or not after that, you can't really know beforehand. Just go with your heart."

"My heart..." She lightly touched her chest, as to find the answer. After a few moments, she smiled at him, her eyes filled with resolve. "Alright, I'll do it. But I'll need help setting everything up. And please no _'Titanic'..._"

"Ahah no problem." Ezreal grinned. "Where do we start?"


	6. Confessions II

Sorry for the awful delay on this one, had some IRL things happening so it was hard for me to just sit down and put my writing in day. Not to mention that every time I managed to catch a break, my friends would drag me to play league...Lol.

Anyways. I am not that pleased with this chapter but I plan on redeem myself on the next one. Hope you guys enjoy it, as always.

The usual shout out to my beta reader. I wuv yooooou!

And a huge thank you for all the followers/favorites/reviews I've been getting. You guys are awesome. c:

* * *

It was already past 1 p.m. when Caitlyn found herself calm enough to finally face Vi again and maybe, just maybe... tell her how she really felt. The conversation with Ezreal earlier made her realize she couldn't just let the fear of what outsiders would say or think control her life; the explorer surely being a living example of that. He was ready to ask a girl out knowing her family, specially a very protective older brother, who enjoys spying in nearby bushes, would make his life as miserable as possible. Not to mention that said girl belongs to one of the most noble houses of Demacia, meaning sooner or later, the King himself would become involved. Yet he was not even slightly worried about that; no... his main worry had been how to ask her out. Just the thought made Cait realize how small and easy her situation looked compared to his. So with her resolve restored, she stepped outside her office hoping a certain pink haired woman would still be around.

However and to her great dismay, the enforcer had left earlier with Ezreal without a word. Caitlyn tried in vain to get more information from the receptionist, but the only thing the woman had seen was the two of them leaving together, all "smiles and giggles". Frustration took hold of the sheriff's features as she thanked the woman and walked back to her office, closing the door behind herself. Leaning against the nearby wall, Caitlyn let herself slide down until she reached the floor and covered her face with both hands. _'What have you done to me Vi...? When did I become so... dependent on you?'_

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the piece of pink paper stuck in her window.

* * *

"Do you think she will notice that?" Ezreal asked as he watched with amusement as Vi jump down the boxes she had piled up under Caitlyn's office window.

"Well hopefully she will. If not... I'll think of something else." The enforcer dusted herself as she took a final glance towards the sheriff's window.

"You mean like... ask her out in person?"

"No! She won't even look at me remember...? Plus this way she won't be able to just say no."

"Fair enough." Ez crossed his arms above his chest. "But hey, you sure you can afford that restaurant you picked? Their prices are just... surreal. Would just be awful if everything went alright and you didn't have enough to pay the bill."

"Yeah I saw it, kinda scared me for a second. But me and cupcake pass by that place during our rounds and she is always saying how nice it looks and stuff. So why not? And as long as she doesn't order the entire menu, I should be able to cover the expenses."

"You sure? I could just loan you some money. Its no biggie for me."

"Nah kiddo, I appreciate the offer but you already helped enough. Plus little old me doesn't take money away from little kids." Vi laughed and placed one of her gauntlets on top of the explorer's head, messing up his hair.

"Ah ah, very funny..." Ezreal frowned as he pushed her hand away and attempted to fix his hair. "I already proved you I'm not a kid so you should stop treating me like one."

"Nope. You may act like a grown up but you still look like a kid to me."

"Then you look like an old hag to me."

"Take that back!"

"'Nope. You may act like a kid but you still look like an old hag to me'." The explorer mocked and started to laugh uncontrollably, much to Vi's dismay.

"I'm going to knock you out 'till next friday! Come here!"

As the enforcer made a move towards him, Ezreal used his A_rcane Shift _to avoid the blow. He was now standing a few meters away from the pink haired woman, still laughing. Vi's eye twitched as she stared at the blond haired boy, anger boiling inside. _'He's so dead...Damn kid!' _But just when she was about to close the distance between them with a _Vault Breaker,_ the explorer gave her a thumbs up followed by a small wave, as he disappeared with another _Arcane Shift._

_'… Lucky bastard. Next time he won't even have time to blink.' _She thought as she composed herself. Her gaze moved to the window above once more as she started to walk away from the police station.

Hopefully Caitlyn would see her note.

* * *

Night time brought the quietness to Piltover that Vi so much hated. As all the shops slowly closed their doors for the day, the enforcer started to wonder just how much Caitlyn had done for the citizens during the past years. There was a sense of security: no one was afraid to close their businesses late and walk back to their homes, no matter how many dark alleys they had to pass. It was truly amazing, she had to admit... But for someone who had been on the other side for years, she knew it wasn't all as safe as it looked; and seeing everyone acting like there was no criminal lurking in the shadows only served to make her upset. But of course, every single person in that city-state trusted their valuable sheriff to solve their could-of-totally-been-avoided silly cases.

_'Morons. They load her with work for stupid reasons.' _

Leaning against a lamp post, near the restaurant she had made reservations on earlier, Vi felt almost like she was naked. Her armor had been replaced by a plain pink tank top and a pair of tight black jeans. She also left her gauntlets at home for the very first time and she wasn't too happy about it; however it felt good to let her arms and hands catch a break from all the weight.

_'Lets hope she saw the stupid paper on her window... Maybe Ezreal was right, I should have asked her in person... Bleh, I'll never hear the last of it if she didn't. Stupid kid was right, I'm so f-'_

"Vi?"

Dragged away from her thoughts, the enforcer glanced to her left side only to find a very confused Caitlyn staring at her. The pink haired woman smirked as she turned to face the sheriff, her hands casually stuffed in her pockets..

"Glad you could make it. I was afraid you would miss my little note."

"Where's your gauntlets and armor? The note said you had a tip about a possible robbery in this area." Cait crossed her arms above her chest in annoyance. "Unless you plan to go undercover, which would not even work, I don't see why the sudden change of outfit. This isn't the Institute of War."

"Oh wow, slow down cupcake... I admit it, the robbery thing was a lie, okay? But it was for a good reason, I promise!"

"You sure have nerve!" The sheriff suddenly spat, surprising Vi. "Haven't you done enough already?!"

"Cait, what are you-"

"Are you trying to toy around with me, pushing me back and forth as you please?! Last night was the last drop Vi, I can't stand this anymore. You've been giving me mixed signals for the past months and yesterday... Yesterday I honestly thought we would solve this mess. But the only thing you did was making it worse." She paused, nearly in tears once again. "And now you just lure me out here... And for what? Another of your games?"

"Caitlyn, just _fucking _stop. I know I messed up, okay? I made you cry and you have no idea how much I hate myself for that. And I knew if I told you to meet me here you would either plain refuse or make an excuse." The enforcer sighed and slowly approached the sheriff. "I'm trying to fix things up Cait. Just please trust me on this." She extended her right hand and smiled. "Alright?"

The brunette eyed her with suspicion for a moment, considering her options. She did trust Vi but part of her was afraid of getting hurt even more; the scene from the past evening still very present in her mind. For the past months they had gone from just simple partners to somewhat close friends. At first, it was just plain small talk that would fill the day between a chase and a report, but as the time passed, Caitlyn had allowed herself to be more kind and open. And that was the moment it all began.

At first there was nothing more than _cute_ nicknames, which Vi so kindly started with the famous _cupcake _one_._ But shortly after the enforcer joined the League, the smooth lines of pure _flirt _became more than evident every time they managed to be summoned in the same team. A comment about the brunette's clothes here, a cheesy line related to Vi's physical condition there...

Soon enough, the pair became the main topic of conversation of many summoners and champions; the two of them being completely unaware of that fact. And as if that wasn't enough already, rumors of Jayce being utterly rejected by the sheriff only added more wood to the fire.

But now it was different. She was completely aware that every word, every look and every gesture Vi would make towards her had a deeper meaning. And she had somehow caught herself doing the exact same.

She also knew her mental conflict needed to come to an end; the enforcer was waiting for an answer. Summoning what was left of her resolve, she made up her mind: there was no turning back now.

"This is your final chance. Don't disappoint me."

"I won't cupcake, pinky promise!"


	7. Confessions III

****Beware the fluff. That's all I have to say for this one.

The usual shout out to my beta reader. This one was specially messy x)

Thank you for all the favorites/reviews/follows. A special thanks to Kursed89 for the lovely pm. ^^

* * *

As Caitlyn reluctantly took Vi's hand, the grin that spread on the enforcer's lips couldn't be wider. She got exactly want she wanted: a chance to make things right. And no, she wasn't going to blow it up this time, she was absolutely sure of that. Interlocking their fingers, she could barely miss the blush on the sheriff's face as they started to walk, side by side, towards the entrance of the restaurant.

The place, named _Le Cygne, _was one of Piltover's finest dinner places. Since it was always so full, it was nearly impossible to get a reservation even with a prior week request; but luckily for Vi, Ezreal had called in a few favors and somehow managed to get her one of the private tables on the second floor, where they wouldn't be bothered by any glances or small comments.

As they approached the old man at the entrance, they were greeted with a warm smile.

"Good night Vi, Sheriff Caitlyn." He greeted politely. "We were expecting you. Your table is ready at the second floor, as requested. Just go down the hall and up the staircase; your table is the one at the center, near the window. Please, go in! One of our waiters will be right there with you."

"Oh, thank you! Come on Cait, let's go."

The huge glass doors were opened for them and they stepped inside. Immediately all eyes in the room fell on the pair as they walked on the red carpet that was connecting the door to the stairs and Caitlyn found herself exchanging worried glances between their interlocked fingers and the occupants of the tables they were passing by. The shock on their features was undeniable and the sheriff caught herself lowering her eyes to the floor, wondering if this had all been a huge mistake after all.

"You shouldn't care about what they may be thinking." Vi said just above a whisper, gently squeezing her hand in a reassuring gesture. "I know it's hard, but trust me: nothing matters more than your own happiness. Don't forget that."

As they reached the staircase and went up, the sheriff was taken by surprise as she scanned the new surroundings. The entire room was empty aside from some small decorations and paintings covering the white walls and a table for two by the window, only lit up by candles. Gently letting go of the enforcer's hand, Caitlyn approached the table only to be surprised once again, this time by a beautiful bouquet of lilies and a box of the finest chocolates.

"Vi you didn't..."

"I told you I was going to fix things up Cait." The pink haired woman said as she passed by the brunette. "I admit that Ezreal helped... but just a tiny tiny bit." She smiled as she pulled the chair and motioned for the sheriff to sit. "Ladies first."

"You really shouldn't have... this is... too much."

"Nah. You deserve this and much more cupcake." Vi winked, making Caitlyn blush slightly. "Now sit down and let's enjoy the evening."

Once they both sat at the table, the waiter approached with the menu. The enforcer did her best to keep a straight face when she looked at the prices, but end up failing completely when the sheriff noticed her eye twitch slightly and joked about ordering the most expensive dish. They both ended up ordering a simple steak with some fancy piltovian sauce and some salad. Vi insisted on ordering a bottle of their finest wine, even after Caitlyn complained she would be fine with just some water or a soda.

During the meal only a few words were exchanged, which the pink haired woman was secretly thankful for. Her thoughts were running wild in her mind as she struggled to find the right words to finally address Cait and make things right, like she promised. But it was not as easy as she thought it would be and the fear of a possible rejection was still haunting her. She knew it was silly; she had heard the conversation between Ezreal and Caitlyn so she knew exactly how the sheriff really felt. But after seeing her reaction to the looks they both received downstairs... It was hard not to think she could just say no.

She snapped back to reality when the brunette softly called her name, their eyes finally meeting. Vi suddenly became breathless as she caught sight of the woman in front of her, the light from the candles illuminating her frame with a soft glow. A warm smile suddenly spread on the sheriff's lips as she reached across the table and took the enforcer's hand on her own, squeezing it gently.

The small gesture was all Vi needed to summon all her courage. It was now or never.

"Caitlyn, I have something really important to ask you. But first..." She held the brunette's hand as she got up. "Come with me."

Without questioning Vi's motives, Cait stood up and followed the enforcer, who slid the large window open with no effort and guided them outside, to the large balcony. The cold air of the night greeted the pair, making them shiver slightly; but none of them cared. As Vi stopped by the steel rail, Caitlyn's eyes immediately caught side of the river and she gasped: the moonlight was the only thing illuminating the waters, giving it a breathtaking silver glow. Completely hypnotized by the sight, she failed to notice that the enforcer had intertwined their fingers and inched dangerously close.

Only when Vi's right hand gently held her chin she realized what was about to happen.

"I was going to take you to the river for a midnight walk first but... This can't wait any longer."

"Vi..."

"I need an answer Cait... I need to know how you really feel. But I want to hear it from you, not from anyone else. So please... please be honest. Forget the world around us, right now its just you an me."

"You know it would never work... Look at us, we are so different. Vi, I know your intentions are the best but... we can't... I can't..."

"Why? Because of what people may think? Caitlyn you can't possibly be thinking about sacrificing your own happiness over something so stupid." The enforcer sighed, her hand moving from the sheriff's chin to her cheek, stroking it gently. "This is hard for me too, you know? I had the reputation of being a trouble maker and a law breaker and now look at me... Falling for the law herself. This won't good in my profile."

The brunette let out a small laugh as she involuntary leaned into the pink haired woman's touch, never breaking eye contact. She started to contemplate, even if just for a few seconds, how things would be if she just had the heart to say yes. Her mind immediately drifted to the night before, when Vi had embraced her tight, and to how _right_ it felt_. _She had no doubt that she wanted it; she was craving for it. But the shadows of the citizens of Piltover looking down at her for dating a criminal started to cloud her thoughts again and threatened to completely obscure the picture of happiness she was slowly building.

But this time... She wouldn't let that happen. Ezreal was right.

"Ask me."

"Ask you what?"

"The question from last night."

Vi smiled as she awkwardly leaned in, their lips only inches apart. Eyes shut and hearts beating at the same erratic pace, they braced themselves for what was about to take place.

"Caitlyn..." The enforcer said, just above a whisper. "Do you love me?"

"I do... You have no idea how much."

And as their lips met, the rest of the world was forgotten.


End file.
